Stranger Things Salutes Evil Dead With Its Latest Retro Poster

Stranger Things‘ latest retro poster pays tribute to The Evil Dead. Netflix’s hit TV series Stranger Things is many things. It’s a horror story, it’s a sci-fi tale, it’s a mystery, and it’s a dark fantasy, all rolled into one mesmerizing piece of entertainment. Above all else though, Stranger Things is a loving homage to the pop culture of the 1980s, whether it be movies, TV shows, books, video games and/or music.

Since early last month, Stranger Things’ season 2 promotional push has embraced this ’80s mindset, releasing a series of tribute posters designed to insert the residents of Hawkins into classic art for horror and sci-fi films from the decade.The films given the tribute poster treatment so far include A Nightmare on Elm Street,The Running Man,Alien – which technically came out in 1979, but close enough – and Stephen King’s Firestarter. That last one was especially appropriate, as Stranger Things fan-favorite Eleven’s psychic powers and the usage thereof have drawn heavy comparisons to both Firestarter and fellow King book Carrie.

Now, Netflix has released the latest Stranger Things’ season 2 retro poster, via the official Stranger Things Twitter account. This time out, the poster is a tribute to the signature art for Sam Raimi’s 1981 cult classic The Evil Dead, which introduced genre icon Bruce Campbell to the world at large, and started Raimi down a career path that would eventually lead to him directing the original Spider-Man movie trilogy in the 2000s. Check it out below:

While it’s unlikely that any Kandarian demons dwell within the Upside Down – although realistically, it’s possible, only a small part of that realm has been shown thus far – that’s probably for the best, as the people of Hawkins look to have enough to deal with in Stranger Things season 2 as it stands. This includes whatever the heck that gigantic monster that Will sees off in the distance in the show’s season 2 trailer is.

Of course, there’s also a theory going around that Will himself – much like Walter White – is the danger, after being corrupted by the evil deeds done to him during his time trapped in the Upside Down in Stranger Things season 1. When asked about that very idea, series director and executive producer Shawn Levy has refused to either confirm or deny the possibility. Whether the danger comes from within or without though, Stranger Things season 2 looks to up the ante even more when it comes to scares, as its latest retro poster further suggests.